Honey Boo Boo Child: The Atlanta Interview

“There are bigger things on the horizon…”

Tuesday afternoon we caught up with Alana Thompson ‘Honey Boo Boo Child‘ and her mom June ‘The Coupon Queen’ from TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras at their home in McIntyre, Georgia…

The show’s breakout stars talked to us about how they were discovered, some of the adventures they’ve been on since their videos went viral, what’s next for the duo, and yes, that infamous Anderson Cooper dress.

What first got you interested in pageants?

June: We didn’t do one mall pageant, we started off doing natural and then we started doing the glitz side. I like the glitz side better than I do natural.

What’s a natural pageant?

June: Natural is no hair, no makeup, no fake tan, no flipper, nothing – it’s just natural like she looks like now. Glitz is the other side of the spectrum: makeup, hair, all that.

Alana: You’re lyin’!

What advice do you have for moms in Georgia who want to get their child in a pageant?

June: To each his own, some people like natural, some people like glitz. There’s a board you can go on called Brittany’s Beauties, it has natural and glitz. I say go for it. I was very skeptical to begin with, but we went for it and now look at us. I never did think that one show would turn into all this.

Alana: A thousand shows!

What’s the reaction been like since you’ve been on the show?

June: It’s been negative and positive, but hey I look at those people who are talking negative about us and don’t like us, are the main who’s who are bringing the ratings up the show because they’re the ones who are mainly watching.

Yes, we do have tons of supporters out there and we greatly appreciate and respect all them, but those people who hate us are the main ones who watch the show every time.

Were you surprised by the reactions?

June: I never thought in a million years that we would go viral in like less than 30 minutes. In less than 30 minutes, over three million sites was talking about us, both good and bad. I never did think that, no.

How were you discovered for Toddlers & Tiaras?

June: We did a pageant back in February of last year were they saw her. They called us back and wanted us to do another video. So we did a video and they loved Alana the way she was. Once the cameras got here, it was on.

Alana: Next!

Do you coach her?

June: No, we have a coach, Sugie. She’s very, very good. We’ve been working with her. But first we didn’t have a coach, but to step up our game we have invested in a coach.

What are some of the adventures you’ve been on so far?

June: We’ve been on Inside Edition, Extra, Dr. Drew, we’ve done several news interviews, we’ve done Good Day Atlanta, CBS Atlanta which we won’t talk about. Anyway, we went to Anderson Cooper, now we’re doing this interview today.

Then tomorrow we’re leaving for Hollywood to do the TLC brand shoot and some stuff for Toddlers & Tiaras.

Everybody loved that dress you wore on Anderson Cooper.

June: It was planned and it’s all about having fun, that’s how it is, but that dress… the top was ten times bigger than I was, it added ten inches to every measurement, which was crazy. I was about to fall out the thing. The bottom was hideous.

Did you get to keep it?

June: Hell no, I don’t want that dress!

Where did it go?

June: That damn designer took it back! Hell no, do you want it?

Does it bother you when people make fun of you or Alana?

June: No, it is what it is. There’s some cute ones on YouTube. I’ll have to send you a link to the one I think is the cutest on YouTube with the voice over. It’s really, really, really cute. There’s some that are cute and some that’s just like wacky, really.

Alana: Whack! Whack whack whack!

June: It is what it is. If anybody talk bad about us, oh well.

Tell us about the shirt for anti-bullying.

Alana: I just did a video of ya’ll!

Tell us about the shirt and what it’s for.

Alana: Hey, this is honey boo boo child! My shirt says honey – boo – boo – child.

Who made that shirt for you?

June: The Brand UR is an anti-bullying brand. They’re having a big launch party this weekend in Massachusetts for anti-bullying. Unfortunately we won’t be able to go because we’ll just be coming back from L.A.

But they’re having a huge thing where another TLC star, Paisley, will be there representing. And several other Toddlers & Tiaras stars will be there. It’s anti-bullying so we love it.

They came to us and made us shirts so it’s been a big hit. If anybody wants them they can talk to The Brand UR and they’ll be glad to make any color, any size for you. They’ll take care of you.

Alana: I’m Sexy and I Know It!

So you guys want to be a spokesperson for anti-bullying?

June: Yeah they’ve talked to Alana. They’ve got a lot of people who represent The Brand UR which is a great organization.

Nobody should be bullied, I don’t care who you are. Big, small, ugly, fat, nobody should bully anybody, that’s just wrong.

Alana, what would you say to someone who’s bullying somebody in your class?

Alana: I’d say nothin’ because I’ll get a great stick if I say somethin’!

June: No, if somebody was bullying you, you’d tell them to stop bullying.

Alana: I’d say, stop bullying! ‘Cause that would hurt if they punch you!

Where can people get the shirts again?

June: The Brand UR, they’re on Facebook. Also, you can go on TheBrandUR.com.

Alana’s on TV and being exposed everywhere, how do you protect her?

June: Because she is on TV, a lot of the local law enforcement here knows about what’s going on. So they pretty much ride by. I let everybody know what’s going on – ok this person’s going to be at my house.

Especially when we’ve had those big ones, because like we had Good Morning America come here. We’ve had some big stations and some big network people come here.

So I alert them. Not just for my protection and Alana’s protection, which is number one, but also for their protection too. Because everybody wants to be in that little spotlight camera. So I don’t want anyone coming up trying to interfere with what we’re doing and cause problems.

What’s next for you and Alana?

June: All I can say is there’s bigger and better things. Watch out. I know that we will be on another episode of Toddlers & Tiaras on TLC in June the week of the Olympics, because we did pageant Olympics. So that should be an interesting episode.

But also, there’s bigger and better things. I never know when that phone’s gonna ring. So just look for us in other places. There are bigger things on the horizon.